Abstract
This multi-year qualitative study explores students' perceptions of, and experiences, with talking about race at Brandeis, both in and outside of the classroom. Based on analyses of empirical and archival data, this study examines in-depth interviews, 19 with students in 2021, and 6 follow-up interviews in 2023, to ascertain the dominant discursive frames and political strategies undergraduates use to talk about race. While the existing sociological literature offers critical conceptions of what race frames are and their significance in everyday racial interactions writ large, this thesis adds to this body of scholarship by examining how racial discourse frames operate in conversations about race and racism among college students. This thesis contributes to sociological and educational research by developing four distinct interpretive frames for how students talk about race. These include race avoidance, race hesitance, race responsiveness, and race assertiveness. The aforementioned frames illuminate the racial literacy gaps students encounter when entering higher education, and how these gaps impact one’s ability to participate in racial discourse meaningfully. The primary argument guiding this thesis is that the university is a critical site of intervention for understanding and altering students’ racial discourse frames. The thesis closes by highlighting practical steps Brandeis University can take to transform students’ relationship to talking about race confidently, and the role of college curricula in facilitating racial literacy.